Farewell to Saray / Hasta siempre Saray

Saray in the last days of December 2013. / Saray en los últimos días de diciembre del 2013.

On January 3rd of this year, Sara Martin Rojo passed away in an unfortunate car accident. Multimedia Doctorate student at Unicamp University (Brazil), blogger of Future Challenges, dearest friend, a spirit serving life. The loss is irreparable.

Saray, as many of us knew her, used to offer her whole being to whatever she did. She would nurture herself from the most diverse encounters and had the ability to forget her own self in order to listen to the stories of others, which she preferred to register with her camera. She lived her life as the rocky walls she loved to climb, accepting the implicit risk in each movement, thoughtful and trustful. Always trustful. Even when she was faced by doubt and the temptation to succumb. Wherever she would step, the earth would become firm, and stones and holes would correct their disposition to open their way for difficult steps. This is the way we like to remember her. To her grandparents, her family and friends, to all those who were fortunate for having been touched by her generous and brave heart, our condolences and an invitation to celebrate the beauty of her life. (Óscar Guarín and Mayxué Ospina, members of FC Latin America and personal friends of Saray.)

The above is one of the last photos taken to our blogger Sara Martin Rojo, known to her friends as Saray. It was taken by Carmen Lucia Marieiro Maia who was interviewed by Saray on her last contribution for Future Challenges. Saray was a member of FC since August 2013. We never met personally but during the brief time we worked together she was always very enthusiastic and presented interesting ideas. Above all, she was a very warm and kind person, something you could perceive reading between the lines of her mails.

About her last interview, she wrote telling me that she had to go to the favela alone because no one else was available to do it. She carried the camera, the mics, the headphones, everything. She finished the filming and started editing the same day. It was urgent for her to leave the job done before going on a trip for the holidays. On her last mail to me on December 23, she wished that 2014 may be illuminating for all of us.

The news of her sudden death was overwhelming for all, specially for those who knew and worked close with her. She will be missed by our team and by the whole FC family. We invite you to visit her author archive and share it with others, as a tribute to her life and work. (Jacinta Escudos, Regional Editor for Latin America.)

Writer, columnist and blogger from El Salvador. With 8 published books and an op-ed column on the Sunday magazine of the country’s main newspaper, La Prensa Gráfica.
I'm interested in literature, culture, the rescue of historical memory and how these can be used to transform reality, construct a better society and improve individual lives.